APR 29, 20 .. Part 2 of 2 .. WE ARE IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Some (at least for Patti and me) REALLY BIG NEWS.

As we mentioned in Part 1, Patti and I drove down to Phoenix yesterday evening (Tuesday the 28th of April) so as to ‘position ourselves’ front and center for Patti’s upcoming Barrett’s Esophagus procedure on Friday the 1st of May. We did NOT WANT ANY DRAMA so we came a day early.

Tomorrow, Thursday April 30th, is the day for Patti  to be tested for the COVID-19 virus.  

Last night I said to Patti, “Let’s get up early tomorrow morning (that being this morning, Wednesday the 29th) and drive over to the Mayo Clinic and find out where and how you will get your COVID-19 test.”

As I wrote in Part 1 .. In order to enter the Mayo Clinic, patients are tested to determine if they have the COVID-19 virus. So on Thursday Patti will receive the required test to determine if she has the COVID-19 virus. If the test is negative, then on Friday morning (6:30am check in) her doctor will perform the second of three procedures to treat her Barrett’s Esophagus condition.

We were up at 7am and headed for Mayo at 7:35am arriving on the campus a few minutes before 8am.

Trust me on this : Patti and I ‘know’, REALLY KNOW, the Mayo Clinic Phoenix Campus dating back to my hip replacement surgery December 1st 2016, and in succeeding years.

As we rolled onto the campus, there were signs with words and directional arrows stating : Testing procedure.

So off we went following the signs and the arrows.

“Lo and Behold Patti, there is a line of (probably at the time 25) cars, let’s just ‘get into the line’.”

And we did. The line was moving but slowly and deliberately, say in three car batches, every 10 minutes. Then up ahead of us came a nurse going from car to car, holding a clip board, and speaking to those in the cars. Suddenly she was at my window. I handed to her Patti’s Mayo Clinic papers showing Patti’s name and Mayo Clinic Number. I watched as she went down the list of names on her clipboard KNOWING that Patti would NOT be on the list because Patti was due tomorrow NOT today.

Sure enough, Patti was NOT on her list. She then dutifully wrote down, in pen, at the bottom of her long printed list of names, Patti’s name and Mayo Clinic Number, smiled at us and went to the car behind us.

I said to Patti.. “Let’s see what happens.”

At the 40 minute mark we slowly pulled up to the station where the COVID-19 testing was being done.

I motioned the nurse over to Patti’s side of the truck. The nurse had a formal test tube apparatus with Patti’s name and Mayo Clinic Number on it. 

She said to Patti, “This will take about ten seconds. I will insert this swab into the back of your right nostril and twirl it as I count down  from ten. It may be a little uncomfortable and you could get a nose bleed but here we go. 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1 you’re finished.”

“Oh My Goodness Patti! You’ve Just Done The Deal.”

Back to our motel we motored after making a stop at our local Walmart for some groceries.

At around 12 noon our phone rang.

Patti answered.

“This is the Mayo Clinic and I want to go over your Barrett’s Esophagus procedure on Friday. I see you’ve already been tested. .. “

Patti Is Good To Go This Friday.

Need I say we are both delighted.

Patti with Hugs and Cap with Smiles.

• ← APR 29, 20 .. Part 1 of 2 .. WE ARE IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA
• MAY 1, 20 .. Part 1 of 3 .. FRIDAY MAY 1st .. PROCEDURE DAY AT MAYO CLINIC FOR PATTI →